Family of drowned teen sues Carolina Beach

Published: Friday, June 28, 2013 at 4:25 p.m.

Last Modified: Friday, June 28, 2013 at 4:25 p.m.

The family of a Raleigh teen who drowned in 2011 filed a lawsuit against the town of Carolina Beach and three former town employees on Thursday, claiming negligence.

Geoffrey Okinyi, 19, died June 26, 2011, while inner-tubing with friends, after an inbound wave flipped the trio's inner tubes, capsizing them between 30 and 50 yards offshore. None of them knew how to swim.

Okinyi's friends made it back to shore and flagged down a lifeguard riding an ATV. Ocean rescue mobilized personnel to conduct a "line search," where lifeguards mass together to form a line and swim to the ocean bottom.

The incoming tide had pushed Okinyi closer to shore. His death marked Carolina Beach's first drowning in two years.

The lawsuit names the town of Carolina Beach, former rescue squad Director Alicia Lachance, her assistant Elliott Bass and former Police Chief William Younginer.

Court documents, provided by WWAY NewsChannel 3, allege that Okinyi and his friends chose to visit Carolina Beach in part because the town's website specified that 33 seasonal lifeguards monitored three miles of beach strand from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. But that day, LaChance told Bass to send some lifeguards home early because of inclement weather.

The lifeguards weren't called back on duty after the storm cleared, the lawsuit claims, so when Okinyi and his friends returned to the beach near the Harper Avenue access, no one was there to watch or warn them about rip currents.

The suit also claims that Lachance was ill-qualified for her position, and was hired by Younginer while the two were having an affair. "Younginer knew that ... Lachance was not qualified to direct the Ocean Rescue Squad," it says.

Lawrence S. Craige, the town's attorney, declined to comment on the suit, as did Interim Town Manager Bruce Shell.

<p>The family of a Raleigh teen who drowned in 2011 filed a lawsuit against the town of Carolina Beach and three former town employees on Thursday, claiming negligence.</p><p>Geoffrey Okinyi, 19, died June 26, 2011, while inner-tubing with friends, after an inbound wave flipped the trio's inner tubes, capsizing them between 30 and 50 yards offshore. None of them knew how to swim.</p><p>Okinyi's friends made it back to shore and flagged down a lifeguard riding an ATV. Ocean rescue mobilized personnel to conduct a "line search," where lifeguards mass together to form a line and swim to the ocean bottom. </p><p>The incoming tide had pushed Okinyi closer to shore. His death marked Carolina Beach's first drowning in two years.</p><p>The lawsuit names the town of Carolina Beach, former rescue squad Director Alicia Lachance, her assistant Elliott Bass and former Police Chief William Younginer.</p><p>Court documents, provided by WWAY NewsChannel 3, allege that Okinyi and his friends chose to visit Carolina Beach in part because the town's website specified that 33 seasonal lifeguards monitored three miles of beach strand from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. But that day, LaChance told Bass to send some lifeguards home early because of inclement weather. </p><p>The lifeguards weren't called back on duty after the storm cleared, the lawsuit claims, so when Okinyi and his friends returned to the beach near the Harper Avenue access, no one was there to watch or warn them about rip currents.</p><p>The suit also claims that Lachance was ill-qualified for her position, and was hired by Younginer while the two were having an affair. "Younginer knew that ... Lachance was not qualified to direct the Ocean Rescue Squad," it says.</p><p>Lawrence S. Craige, the town's attorney, declined to comment on the suit, as did Interim Town Manager Bruce Shell.</p><p><i></p><p>Kate Elizabeth Queram: 343-2217</p><p>On <a href="http://www.starnewsonline.com/section/news41"><b>Twitter</b></a>: @kate_goes_bleu</i></p>